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Two orphaned black bear cubs from the Yukon are settling into their new, permanent home at the Calgary Zoo. The pair had been temporarily living on a wildlife preserve near Whitehorse after they were orphaned in July. Along with their mother, the brother and sister discovered unsecured garbage and compost bins at the beginning of July and were moved across the Yukon River. About two weeks later, the mother was again spotted trying to get into a resident’s garbage bin. Her cubs weren’t present.

The grizzly bear ambled nonchalantly toward the river and waded in. He hadn’t spotted the bright yellow raft heading straight into his path. After trawling across, he exited and energetically shook the water off, showcasing a body of sheer muscle that belied an otherwise soft appearance. With the sound of a camera clicking, the 400-pound bear’s eyes shot up, caught a glimpse of our raft and darted at high speed for the woods, leaving in its wake a mere plume of dust. The Tatshenshini River that runs through Northern Canada and Alaska is the playground for nature’s wild. Grizzly, black and rare, silver-blue glacier bears, moose, lynx, caribou, wolves, peregrine falcons and bald headed eagles all call this area home. Set this eclectic mix of wildlife along a 225-kilometre mighty river that carves through the highest and most spectacular glacial ranges on the continent’s coast and you have something quite unique.

A week after Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis and Federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay spoke about a need to fill vacancies on the judiciary, MacKay appointed four replacement judges to the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. While Denis welcomed the news and praised MacKay’s quick action, he said the province is still short four Court of Queen’s Bench judges.

Just about everybody has dreams of getting wild. For some, it might be a first night walk through a new city park. For others, a first descent down a wild river. Both share that incredible stirring that fills your insides with excitement and energy derived from exploring, planning, anticipation and conquering.

Grant Lawrence is aware of what he’s stepping into, aware of the dangers to his personage that might await. But, trooper that he is, the Vancouver-based CBC radio personality and author will be there, will be front and centre as the host of this Sunday’s Western Canadian Music Awards that are taking place in Calgary. At Flames Central.

Despite not making it to the gala presentation, Montreal experimental collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor walked away with this year's Polaris Music Prize, awarded to the best Canadian release of the year by a jury of music journalists, bloggers and writers.

WHITEHORSE - The Conservative government's overall effort to tame the Far North has often lacked political will and direction, warns a blunt new National Defence study that explores how the Canadian military fits in to the strategy.

When I was a teenager, it was a big thrill to head to Fullers on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton late at night. Sure, the fluorescents were bright, the purple and orange vinyl booths were uncomfortable and the food was mediocre, but Fullers offered a unique approach in that they never closed. To prove their point, they had no locks on the doors.

Perception. It affects everything. Take, for example, the fence surrounding Prince’s Island this weekend. Some might look at that and see the traditional idea of safety. Others might see it more as a symbol of crass commercialism or even economic elitism, a way of keeping those who haven’t — tickets or the means to acquire some — away from those who have and are having a pretty great time. How you see it affects how you feel about it. Perhaps that’s why it might be wise to view it not as a fence at all, but rather, oh, I dunno, a sneeze guard — a barrier to contain and maintain the purity and freshness of what happens behind it during every folk festival weekend.

Five hours, 10 minutes and 38 seconds after the host yelled “The Chase is On!” I was doubled over at the finish line, wheezing and panting. No, I hadn’t run a marathon. I had just completed the Mitsubishi City Chase.